VVOB is supporting training (6 days) on Professional learning communities, PLCs, in different provinces. See also ‘Learning about Professional Learning Communities with and from education officials in Kwazulu-Natal’. The training is conducted nation-wide in response to the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development (ISPFTED) 2011-2025 that advocates PLCs to professionalise the teaching community. As part of this support the first two workshops took place in Free State province on 9 until 11 March in Bloemfontein and 16 until 18 March in Bethlehem. In Bloemfontein, the workshop was attended by 57 officials provincial and district officials from Xhariep, Motheo and Lejweleputswa districts. In Bethlehem, the workshop was attended by 44 provincial and district officials from Thabo Mofutsanyana and Fezile Dabi districts. Both Subject Advisors and Learning Support Advisors engaged in the training. The workshop is the first part of a 2x 3day training, for which VVOB engaged facilitation by Jika Communication & Training.
Facilitators Dr. Ria De Villiers and Mr. Ricky Davis from Jika, explained the defining characteristics of a PLC, referring to the policy background. Afterwards, participants identified stumbling blocks to establish fully functional and efficient PLCs, e.g. the information overload experienced by teachers. It needs to be pointed out that, while discussing these challenges, district officials immediately identified solutions to overcome them.
One of the challenges district officials face is resistance. Participants learned how to tackle resistance in establishing and sustaining PLCs. Participants reflected on their resisting behaviour and ways they have dealt with colleagues’ resistance. One of the participants said she was sceptical about PLCs and the training, but the training helped her to feel less resistant and more confident with the PLC concept.
Participants created a vision and mission statement for the establishment of a PLC using the analogy of an apple tree. This visualisation makes a PLC more concrete and facilitates understanding. One of the groups created a vision and mission for a PLC for district officials (Subject Advisors, Learning Support Advisors and Circuit Managers) to strengthen their collaboration in their support to schools.
Participants then explored the different roles in a PLC, using the 9-role model which ranges from high level intervention strategies to low level intervention strategies. They were also capacitated with quick wins to promote PLCs. One of the strategies is to make a poster presentation to brand a PLC and attract teachers to participate. This strategy also highlights the uniqueness of every PLC. PLCs are a means to share work among teachers, save time, make teachers feel confident, create an action plan and encourage teachers to take responsibility for their own professional development. At the end of the PLC, teachers can accumulate points in their Professional Development Portfolio in the SACE CPTD information system.
Participants were exposed to many practical activities in establishing a PLC (experiential learning) and acknowledged that this exposure allows them to make an emotional connection with the topic to internalise and own PLCs.
These workshops were the first of a series of two, with the second workshops planned for April
